1. NEVER seed in the spring. Spring seeding leads to a crabgrass lawn by July.

2. NEVER use weed n feed products. When you need spring fertilizer, apply on Memorial Day after all the spring flush of new growth is finished. If you need a herbicide, which you really do, apply that in mid April after all the weeds are up and growing well. Spot spray something like Weed b Gon Chickweed, Clover, and Oxalis killer on the weeds you can see. Give that 3 weeks to die and you should see some weeds from new seed. Spray again to kill those new weeds. Then stop for the summer and go after them again after the summer heat breaks in Aug or Sept.

Fall is the best time to seed or overseed a northern lawn. For your area start in late August, again, when the summer heat breaks.

Your thin areas in the shade should be a fescue type grass. Those do better in the shade than Kentucky bluegrass. You can mix those together if you like.

It looks like the area between the sidewalk and the curb is mounded up. If you ever get the opportunity to remove that excess soil that would be a good idea. It should be more or less straight across with no dips or hills. If the curb area is mounded up, then chances are the rest of your lawn has too much soil, too. Just don't add more.

So what are my options then? I bought the Scott's 4 step on sale and first step for seeding. So I've got no crabgrass preventer down. How can I combat that and not ruin my yard then? Step 2 is weed and feed. You said never use weed and feed so what can I do. I don't wanna waste the product but I also don't wanna be overrun with crabgrass either. I seeded 2 weeks ago and it's most likely too late to get pre emergent down. So what can or should I do. I also don't wanna kill all the seed I just bought either. Seems like anlose lose situation.

I'd suggest starting with sending out soil samples out to a soil testing lab like Logan Labs. That will give you an idea what is going on with the soil and what needs to be amended.

Weed and feed products are not highly recommended. Use the appropriate herbicides and nitrogen separately. Othro Weed B Gone should be able to handle majority of weeds. After that you are left with grassy weeds which are not fun.

Spring seeding is just difficult as young grass may not be able to handle the summer heat. Focus on controlling the weeds and getting existing grass to go grow. As Dchall said, overseed in the fall when conditions are favorable.

Mesotrione, which may have been in your starter fertilizer, gives short term protection against crabgrass. You can follow up with Tenacity, which has mesotrione only, to extend it for more short term protection. After the new grass has been established and mowed a certain number of times, a normal pre-emergent like Dimension or Halts or Prodiamine can be used (read the directions on whatever pre-emergent you consider). But I would not advise that if there is a chance you may want to seed in the fall. Weed and feed is not a pre-emergent and has no effect on crabgrass. It kills broadleafs, not grassy weeds. You could return it to the store. As an alternative to Tenacity (protection for only about a month and you are limited in how much you can use yearly), you could use spot sprays of a post emergent herbicide for crabgrass when you recognize it. But read the directions and see how long you have to wait before using it on new grass. And if you plan to overseed in the fall, pay attention to how long you have to wait before seeding after using it. Fescue should be mainly fertilized in the fall. Avoid fertilizer in the summer. Normal yearly amounts for fescue are 2-3 lb nitrogen per 1000 square feet. You've probably already done 1 lb/K. Save the other applications for the fall.

I plan to aerate and oversees in the fall yes. :9 my best course of action is going to be to just go with it and spot spray what I can and do it right next year? Haha

Unfortunately you've wasted some seed by trying to overseed in the spring. You should really wait till the fall, even if it means roughing it with a bad lawn through the spring and summer. I WOULD recommend getting the lawn ready for restoration in the fall by putting down some Halts now in the spring to stop that crabgrass from invading, BUT Halts will also prevent your new grass from growing. So, you might have to mercy-kill the new seed. In the fall, the absolute best thing you could do is get your lawn aerated-overseeded. This is the best way to get new grass growing and take back control of your lawn, getting it thick and lucious so that it chokes out the weeds and crab grasses itself, without having to put down Weed and Feed.

I would advise you not to use Halts or any other pre-emergent now. The Halts label says not to seed until four months after applying. That would mean the earliest you could seed is mid September. You should do it in mid to late August to give the grass the most growing time possible before cold weather slows growth. When you seed you don't want any lingering pre-emergent preventing your fall seed from germinating.